Most players are happy with one, Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page famously had two, while Bon Jovi’s Richie Sambora had three. Now auctioneers in Wiltshire have gone a step further offering a pair of guitars each with five necks. The rare Hutchins five-neck guitars, each weighing two-and-a-half-stone, will go under the hammer at Gardiner Houlgate’s specialist guitar auction in March.
Also in the sale is a Hutchins six-neck guitar called The Beast, as played by comedian Bill Bailey and spoof rock band Spinal Tap. Its creator, Sussex-based Gary Hutchins called it “the guitar that should never have been made”. The instruments are being sold by a British private collector and are expected to fetch between £3,000 and £5,000.
Only a handful of these five and six-neck guitars were ever made. Auctioneer Luke Hobbs said: “You need to be in pretty good physical shape to play one of these instruments – and a sturdy guitar strap. “We’ve only ever sold one of them before so they’re very rare on the open market. I think they make great stage props or the perfect gift for the guitarist who’s got everything.”.
Stretching over four days, the auction will feature guitars owned by the late Jeff Beck, Gordon Giltrap, Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Steve Diggle of Buzzcocks. The sale, which is being held between March 11 and 14, is expected to attract bids from around the world.
